Bunheads Cancelled By ABC Family

ABC Family has had a pretty good run with the new programming that has hit the schedule in the last year. Both Twisted and The Fosters have made an impact, which is bad news for Bunheads, a show on the bubble. On Wednesday, ABC Family admitted the series will not return for a second season, effectively cancelling the ballet-oriented drama.

Bunheads actually wrapped up its first season way back in February. Instead of opting to give the series a renewal right then, the network wanted to wait it out and see how its new programming would fare—which ended up being good news for the new programming, but not for the Amy Sherman-Palladino drama or the network’s other bubble program, The Lying Game, which THR is noting was cancelled just a few days ago.

Bunheads always did have a bit of a wild premise. In the series, a Vegas showgirl ends up marrying a man and moving to a small town where she teaches ballet with her mother-in-law. The series may have had an oddball premise, but it did receive some acclaim, nabbing a Teen Choice Award nomination and a Television Critics Award nomination. Sutton Foster, who starred in the series, also received some acclaim for the performance she put in. The series offered plenty of Sherman-Palladino’s wit alongside some interesting dance choreography, but it didn’t bring in loyal fans or great ratings of the ilk Gilmore Girls brought in back in the day,

Some critical acclaim wasn’t enough. ABC Family only has enough room in the budget for a certain number of original programs each season. The network has already signed on for new episodes of veteran programs like Pretty Little Liars and Melissa and Joey. Things are looking good for The Fosters, which only increased in the ratings during its Season 1 run. Additionally, ABC Family currently has Switched at Birth and Baby Daddy on the air. The network’s summer programming shouldn’t have affected a potential renewal for Bunheads, but unfortunately, the network also has some new programming in the pipeline.

This fall, ABC Family has plans to premiere a spinoff to the network’s hit series Pretty Little Liars. Called Ravenswood, the new series will follow a cursed town and a group of teens who are determined to solve the mystery surrounding the curse. The series will star Brett Dier and Elizabeth Whitson, among others. Additionally, a show called Chasing Life, about teens with terminal illnesses, is set for a 2014 premiere.